There have been many different levels of accidents related to aircraft, some resulting in injury and death. In some circumstances, there is great loss of life and not much hope for the passengers, especially in mid-air collisions, terrorist acts (e.g. Pan-American flight over Lockerby), and some violent crash landings.
In most airline-related events, many of the reported injuries and deaths are directly related to smoke, either due directly to inhalation of the smoke or due indirectly to the smoke from lack of visibility and confusion. Many airline-related events are results of leaks in fuel or other fluids (e.g. hydraulic fluids). When such leaks occur, the fluids often contact hot-running components such as jet engines, gasoline engines, motors, actuators, etc., causing the leaking fluids to either emit mass amounts of fumes, or to ignite, causing more heat and fumes. Most materials have the potential of causing smoke and/or flame, such as, smoldering fabrics, plastics exposed to high temperatures, etc.
Historical data from the aviation industry shows that many accidents involve such leaks. In most commercial aircraft, fuel lines, storage, and hydraulic systems are routed beneath the floor of the passenger cabins. Even though such aircraft typically have fire suppression systems, these fire suppression systems lack effectiveness for larger leaks. There is also potential for re-ignition of the leaking material. Further, large amounts of smoke are generated before fire suppression systems have extinguished relatively small fires, filling the passenger cabin with smoke in a matter of a few seconds. Aviation data indicates that most of the casualties of such events are caused by smoke inhalation. Further, in the few short minutes that the cabin fills with smoke, panic and confusion further leads to injuries such as broken limbs, concussion, etc. Flight crews are typically ineffective in such situations, hampered by the smoke as well as the panic of the passengers.
In many prior accidents, the fire is extinguished, yet many people are injured or killed from the smoke, either directly from inhalation or indirectly from fear and panic.
What is needed is a system that will alleviate fumes from the passenger cabin of an aircraft, particularly as soon as the aircraft has landed.